BENGALURU: Adding to the continuing spate of deaths of big cats in Karnataka, two more leopards have been killed this month. These young leopards are said to have been electrocuted on January 25. This incident happened in a village bordering Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary in Uyyamballi Hobli of Kanakapura taluk.
Range Forest Officer Dinesh told Express that the leopards were found electrocuted near one Chikka Thamayya’s farm. He had illegally powered his fence around his 4-acre ragi farm to protect it from wild boars.
He said action had been taken against the farmer and a police case booked against him. He added, “This is a very serious offence and he will be liable to 7-year jail term. Further, another case will be booked against him for illegally drawing power. We have taken up the matter with the department concerned to check illegal connections.
We also have awareness programmes for farmers against electrifying their fences which kill wildlife now and then.”
Meanwhile, wildlife activists say images of the dead leopards were circulating on social media with one of the leopards appearing to have been buried in a farmland. Activist Shankara, Sahyadri Shrunga, said, “It seems as if the accused tried to hush up the whole affair.”
Since there seems to be no permanent solution to the recurring problem of human-wildlife conflict, it is very important to take timely action, he added. In the absence of detection of such electric fences, such incidents are likely to continue unabated, thereby endangering the very survival of such species even in wildlife sanctuaries.